Haptic glucometer guide

Abstract

A glucometer guide is provided to address the difficulty that blind or visually impaired diabetic patients have when attempting to independently use a glucometer. The guide provides haptic cues for the effective transfer of blood onto a test strip.

We claim: 
     
       1. A glucometer guide comprising:
 a compartment at a first end of the guide for connection to a glucometer; 
 a cavity formed at a second end of the guide to accommodate an inserted finger of a user and permit rotation of the finger therein, 
 the guide having a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end; 
 the cavity being a substantially hollow cylindrical cavity having its longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide; 
 a window in said cavity 
 wherein the window is positioned to allow a lancet to prick the finger through said window and to allow the blood of the pricked finger to contact a test strip after rotation of the finger, 
 wherein the window is positioned to allow contact with an end of the test strip extending between the window in the cavity and the glucometer when housed in the compartment, 
 wherein the guide is a one-piece device, and 
 wherein said compartment is configured for removably attaching said glucometer to the guide. 
 
     
     
       2. The guide of  claim 1 , further comprising a shelf for positioning of the test strip between the window in the cavity and the glucometer in the compartment. 
     
     
       3. The guide of  claim 2 , further comprising an alignment feature on said shelf. 
     
     
       4. The guide of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening at the bottom of said compartment. 
     
     
       5. A method for the measurement of blood glucose in a subject, the method comprising:
 analyzing a blood sample with a glucometer using a glucometer guide, 
 wherein said guide having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end and a second end comprises: 
 a compartment at the first end of the guide for connection to the glucometer; 
 a cavity formed at the second end of the guide to accommodate an inserted finger of a user and permit rotation of the finger therein; 
 the cavity being a substantially hollow cylindrical cavity having its longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide; 
 a window in said cavity wherein the window is positioned to allow a lancet to prick the finger through said window and to allow the blood of the pricked finger to contact a test strip after rotation of the finger, 
 wherein the test strip extending between the window in the cavity and the glucometer in the compartment, 
 wherein the guide is a one-piece device and wherein said compartment is configured for removably attaching said glucometer to the guide, and 
 wherein the step of analyzing includes 
 connecting the glucometer to the compartment of the glucometer guide; 
 inserting a finger into the cavity of the glucometer guide; 
 pricking the finger with the lancet through the window in the cavity; 
 rotating the finger in the cavity until the blood of the pricked finger contacts the test strip extending between the window in the cavity and the glucometer in the compartment; and 
 measuring the blood glucose of the blood sampled on the test strip with the glucometer. 
 
     
     
       6. A glucometer guide comprising:
 a compartment at a first end of the guide for connection to a glucometer; 
 a cavity formed at a second end of the guide to accommodate an inserted finger of a user and permit rotation of the finger therein; 
 the guide having a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end; 
 the cavity being a substantially hollow cylindrical cavity having its longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide; 
 a window in said cavity wherein the window is positioned to allow a lancet to prick the finger through said window and to allow the blood of the pricked finger to contact a test strip after rotation of the finger, 
 wherein the window is positioned to allow contact with an end of the test strip extending between the window in the cavity of the glucometer when housed in the compartment; 
 at least one protrusion adjacent to said window and extending into the cavity; 
 wherein the guide is a one-piece device; and 
 wherein said compartment is configured for removably attaching said glucometer to the guide. 
 
     
     
       7. The guide of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one protrusion includes a pair of elongated, inwardly projecting ridges positioned on opposite sides of said window.